Thursday (1/6) on NPR’s classical music blog Deceptive Cadence, Thomas Huizenga writes, “Sunday, Jan. 9, the Los Angeles Philharmonic, and its crowd-pleasing conductor Gustavo Dudamel, will be coming to a movie theater near you. Taking a cue from the Metropolitan Opera ‘Live in HD’ simulcasts, ‘LA Phil Live’ is a series of three concerts to be transmitted live to some 450 theaters decked out for high definition broadcasts. On Sunday, actress Vanessa Williams hosts as Dudamel leads the orchestra in music by John Adams (Slonimsky’s Earbox), Beethoven (Symphony No. 7) and Leonard Bernstein (‘Jeremiah’ Symphony). The question is: How many people will show up and pay their $22.00 just to watch a symphony orchestra … play a concert? Yes, it’s one of America’s best orchestras with a charismatic conductor leading a fairly interesting program. But Sunday’s simulcast, by nature, will lack the sparkling on-screen visuals and drama inherent in the Met’s grand operas millions of people are attending at their local cinemas. In a November Los Angeles Times article, Deborah Borda, the Philharmonic’s chief executive, acknowledged the challenges of the venture. But she was confident that Dudamel’s ‘vibrancy of interaction’ with the L.A. Phil players would be worth the risk.” For more information visit the LA Phil Live website.
Posted January 7, 2011
